


I'll Be Waiting.

by ItsNacchi



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Just some brotherly affection, Lucid Dreaming, One Shot, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2018-01-27 20:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1721546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsNacchi/pseuds/ItsNacchi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Right after Marineford, Luffy is undergoing rehabilitation. Ace meets Luffy in a dream. Luffy isn't sure if he wants to wake up, it all feels too real.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Be Waiting.

**Author's Note:**

> So...this is my first time ever doing this and let alone posting something on here that I've actually written. Please be gentle with my first fanfic! I would love to hear your thoughts on this, good or bad. I'm sorry, I'm sure this is an overused topic for One Piece, but come on a lot of us love the D. brothers and I still can't get over the Marineford arc, so I basically wrote this for my own closure. This just kind of wrote itself, so bear with me please! I was trying really hard to display the brotherly affection these two had for one another. -runs off to go sob-

He wasn't sure what was real and what was not. Luffy found himself sitting on the floor with his hands on his head covering his face. Why did everything suddenly feel so _empty and cold_? Why did it feel like the warmth that once surrounded him and embraced him when things suddenly became too much for him **die out**? _Oh_..that’s right..His big brother was always that brilliant blazing fire that never _died out_. _Died out?_  Why did he cringe at those words? It hurts, it hurts, it really hurts he can’t help but let the tears just continue to flow out. He’s cried before; he was always known to be a crybaby as a child but this time was different, this time was extremely different. His precious older brother, his brilliant fire, his other half had suddenly vanished and he wouldn't be coming back. **Why? Why?** Why was all he could ask, it was the only word he could currently find himself saying.

“Hey Lu.” A familiar voice suddenly called to him and the only thing that came to mind was that he had to be dreaming because that precious voice couldn't be real anymore. Reality didn’t have the right to even hear that voice anymore because it took his older brother away. He would forever remember that endearing voice that called out his name.

“Lu…?” The voice sounded a little more hesitant than before seeing no reaction from his younger brother.

“Why…Ace..?” Luffy couldn’t believe what he was hearing, was Ace actually talking to him? This really had to be a dream and if it was please never wake him up. Luffy looked up to see Ace looking down at him. Ace decided to sit down on the floor and face his brother.

“Hey Lu, you had me worried there for a minute. I know this is probably a lot for you to take in right now but I just had to see you.”

That’s when it all came crashing down for Luffy, his dream wouldn’t last forever, it wouldn’t become his reality. He really was dreaming and _time was not on his side_ , if this were reality Ace wouldn’t have to see him in a dream because he could just wake up and see his brother whenever he felt like it. Luffy couldn’t find the words to respond with, he didn’t know why any of this was happening and he just wishes that the tightness he was feeling in his chest would go away. It was asphyxiating. 

“Don’t cry for me anymore, don’t be sad Lu, I chose this and I wouldn’t have it any other way, the world would be too painful without my little brother. Continue your dream of becoming Pirate King!”

Luffy starts to sob at his brother’s words, how could he say that? How could the world be more painful without him? Why did his brother always belittle himself? Did he not realize that the world would be just as painful as it is right now without him as well? Ace's crew loved him just as much he loved his brother. He knew he was being selfish with his thoughts; the sad reality of it was that he knew there would come a time where he had to stop grieving his brother’s death, that life just simply goes on and that he would have to continue living without his brother. Yes they both had separate lives and never really stayed in one place; they had their own families now but knowing that they would be able to cross paths whenever they wanted to was always a nice fact, but that fact was gone now.

“Lu...please don’t cry, show me that smile of yours, the one you always naturally have on.” He ruffled his brother’s hair and gently wiped his brother’s tears away.

“Luffy I can always have a peace of a mind because you’re in good hands, you’ve always been in good hands. Your nakama love you just as much as I do. You even have someone else aside from me who will always stay by your side, your loyal swordsman, he’s a great comrade. I’m really grateful that you’ll have the greatest swordsman at your side when you become Pirate King.” Zoro’s always been able to just simply understand whatever it was that Luffy was thinking and his brother knew this very well. The two really understood each other better than anybody else.

“So remember Lu, you have people to go back to, you have unfinished goals.” Ace said this with a soft look on his face. He knew that if his brother ever had to get some sense knocked into him, Zoro would be the first to do it if not then his other companions would! He may not be Luffy’s brother but the swordsman really was perceptive to everything, especially when it came to his captain's way of thinking. Luffy really has come a long way and he’s chosen the perfect crew for himself.

If this was a dream then Luffy was going to at least enjoy whatever moments he had left with his brother. Luffy tried his hardest to smile at what his brother was saying. Tears still streamed down his face but his smile was an honest one. Luffy smiled wide and leaned up to wrap his arms around Ace's neck. Ace smiled at Luffy’s gesture and put his arms around his brother’s waist. All Ace wants is to see his brother’s radiant smile and fill everyone else with the same light he was filled with. He wants his brother's name to spread around the world more so than it already has, he knows he may not physically be with him anymore but he will forever stay in his heart and continue to watch his little brother grow stronger and become that strong man he vowed to become so he could protect all that are precious to him. He wants him to continue to cherish life; he just wants him to live the life he has ahead of him.

“Ace…I know this a dream…but I don’t want to wake up.” Luffy said this in such a soft, low toned voice that Ace almost didn’t hear him but he was able to catch a few words. “I know my nakama are there for me. I know they love me as much as I love them and I do want to go back to them. I’m tired, I’m just really tired Ace…”

Ace just gently runs his fingers through his brother’s soft dark hair. “Then just sleep Lu.” The fact he could feel his brother’s hair and feel his brother’s body heat was just unexplainable but who was he to argue? **Dreams were always a mystery and mysteries were beautiful.** His brother was beautiful, he was glad to have to met him. He was glad to be loved this much. He had nothing but one regret.

_“But then you won’t be here anymore…”_

He feels more warm tear drops fall over his neck. _Those words struck a cord in him._ The only thing Ace will ever regret would be not being able to physically be there with his brother anymore and celebrate the day he becomes Pirate King. The day he gives Shanks his beloved straw hat back, that would be a sight to see. The realization of it all sinks in quickly but he knows he would always choose Luffy over anything else, whether it be in this life or the next or even the one after that. He would tear up at this thought but the fact **_Luffy is alive_** just beats every other emotion inside him, that feeling of relief washes over him. He wipes away his brother’s tears once more while still holding him.

“What did I say about not crying anymore?” Luffy looks up at his brother and leans his forehead onto his.

“Okay Ace, I won’t cry anymore I promise. I know you won’t be here once I go to sleep but you have to promise to visit me again sometime. Okay?”

Ace couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Luffy was asking for the impossible…but then again this was Luffy he was talking about, the word impossible was not part of his dictionary. The boy always **DID** the impossible, _he made the impossible possible._ Ace softly laughed to himself and Luffy looked mildly confused as to why his brother was laughing at what he just said. This wasn’t really all that funny he was being serious; he wants to at least be able to speak to his brother once in a while if he can’t be there with him physically.

“Alright Lu, it’s a promise I’ll be sure to visit you again.” Luffy smiled at this and was happy that he wouldn’t be completely losing contact with his brother.

“When will you visit me?” He knew this question was coming. Ace knew the perfect time to visit his younger brother again.

“When you become Pirate King, if you promise me you’ll continue to chase after your dreams, I’ll visit you once you have obtained the title of Pirate King Luffy.”

A wide grin appeared on Luffy’s face. He couldn’t have been happier. He could finally drift off to sleep knowing that someday he would be able to have a heart to heart conversation with his brother again, but instead of him crying tears of sorrow, he’ll probably be crying tears of joy along with Ace. He’ll tell him of all his adventures and he’ll be able to show how much he has grown. He will make Ace proud, that’s for sure. Luffy promised himself he would not cry for his brother anymore but instead remember him with a smile. His brother wanted him to smile and be happy just like always so that was exactly what he would do. Luffy finally gave into his drowsiness and dozed off on his brother's lap but before everything went blank, before everything faded away he was able to hear his brother’s final **_(but not so final)_ ** words.

_“Love you Lu, and thank you for loving me. Sleep well.”_   He then felt warm lips on his forehead. This made Luffy doze off with a small smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so that was all I could write after my mind just went blank and quite honestly it made me feel a bit better. I just had to add some kind of mention about Zoro, right there. I mean I love the loyalty he expresses towards his captain. If you actually read this, thank you so much for taking the time to read it!


End file.
